Leadership

Jerry Ouimet

President and Chief Executive Officer

Jerry Ouimet directs the vision and guides the strategic direction of Ames Construction. As president and chief executive officer, Jerry is committed to building on the company’s long-established culture as a builder who encompasses and lives by the values of integrity, loyalty, respect, trust and innovation. Drawing from his more than 30 years in the industry, Jerry leads with an entrepreneurial perspective and applies his keen ability to link people with purpose to grow into new challenges and move forward as a cohesive team to achieve mutual goals.

Jerry earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Finance from St. Cloud State University, and a Master of Business Administration in Entrepreneurial Studies and Risk Management from the University of St. Thomas. Active in multiple industry organizations, Jerry is passionate about keeping the workforce safe, both physically and mentally, and serves as a trustee for the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention.

Tom Bessel

Chief Financial Officer

As Ames Construction’s Chief Financial Officer, Tom Bessel plans, implements, manages, and supervises all of the finance activities for the company, including business planning, budgeting, reporting, and forecasting. Tom came to Ames Construction as the Assistant Controller in 2011 after serving the company for six years prior while employed by a local public accounting firm. He applies his expertise to streamline and maintain efficient operations while adapting to ever-changing needs of both the industry and the departments as the company continues to grow and expand. 

A graduate of the University of Minnesota, Tom is a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Construction Industry Financial Professional.

Justin Gabrielson

Chief Operating Officer

As Chief Operating Officer (COO), Justin Gabrielson is focused on enhancing operational excellence, refining the delivery of construction solutions, and harmonizing our six regional offices with a specific focus on the “doing work” portion of our business. He is committed to putting people in an environment where they can succeed for themselves, their families, our clients, and the communities where we work. Prior to being named COO, Justin served as President of the Midwest and Southeast Regions with incredible dedication and leadership.

Justin joined Ames Construction in 2003 as a project engineer and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering, with a minor in Business Administration, from North Dakota State University. He is a licensed professional engineer, serves as Vice Chair of the Minnesota Associated General Contractors (AGC), and is a member of the Minnesota AGC Labor Negotiations Committee. He also serves on the AGC Minnesota Chapter Board of Directors.

Brent Wilber

Chief Administrative Officer

Brent Wilber serves as an advisor to the chief executive officer and the board of directors, providing guidance for performance improvement opportunities and strategic planning. Brent collaborates with clients, colleagues, industry members, and the communities we serve to implement policies in support of sustainability, resilience, and delivery of projects. He analyzes existing processes and drives corporate initiatives for ongoing advancement in employee safety and health, human resources, risk management, quality, environmental, and diversity and inclusivity.

Brent brings a broad perspective of the construction industry to Ames, having spent 30 years in operational roles, from labor to executive management. He joined Ames in 2022 after working alongside the company through joint venture and subcontracting relationships for two decades. Brent earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is a licensed professional engineer and serves as a board member of Associated General Contractors of Minnesota.

Tim Haycraft

Chief Legal Officer

Tim Haycraft is the senior legal advisor to the company on all legal and regulatory issues with a focus on managing and minimizing the company’s current and future risks in the marketplace. He has responsibility for Ames legal and compliance departments, with expertise that includes corporate governance, risk management, litigation management, labor, M&A, regulatory compliance, and corporate transactions.

Tim joined Ames Construction in 2020, after being in a construction leadership in-house role for more than 20 years, with over 30 years of experience in the industry. During his career, Tim has worked throughout the United States and Canada with a successful track record in both senior and executive leadership capacities. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in both Public Administration and Communications from Minnesota State University, and a Juris Doctorate from Creighton School of Law.

Leif Christianson

Chief Information Officer

Leif Christianson serves as Ames Construction’s Chief Information Officer, overseeing the company’s information technology and data management operations. Leif collaborates with the executive team, regional leaders, and industry partners to develop and implement IT strategies that align with the company’s overall goals and drive innovation and efficiency. He manages IT governance, cybersecurity measures, and digital transformation initiatives while fostering a culture of continuous learning and development within the IT team.

In his 25-year career, Leif has held leadership roles in information technology, risk management, financial industry operations, and manufacturing. Joining Ames in September 2024, he leverages his expertise in strategic planning, team leadership, and emerging technologies to position the company at the forefront of technological advancements in the construction industry.

Leif earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse and a Master of Business Administration degree from Lakeland College. He holds a Six Sigma Yellow Belt from the University of Wisconsin and has been recognized with several industry awards, including being named an Elite 8 Technology Executive by InformationWeek.

Jerry Miller

President | Southwest Region

As president of the company’s Southwest region, Jerry Miller leads, evaluates and manages regional activities to ensure the development and implementation of a profitable operation, while remaining focused on motivating employees to always be safe, work to their highest potential, and bring value to their role by not only doing things right, but by doing the right things on behalf of the company and our customers. Collaborating with corporate and regional partners, he initiates, develops and establishes the strategic direction of Ames that aligns with the organization’s vision and mission.

Jerry joined Ames Construction in 1996 as a program manager/engineer and was appointed executive vice president of the region in 2011. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Montana State University, where he is a member of the Civil Engineering Advisory Board. Jerry is a board member for the Arizona Chapter of AGC, a member of The Beavers heavy engineering construction association, and an SCCA member.

Tim Odell

President | Western Region

As president of the company’s Western region with offices in Utah and Colorado, Tim Odell leads the strategic planning and direction of the regional business objectives to support the organization’s vision and mission. Ultimately responsible for the overall performance of people and projects, Tim remains acutely focused on meeting safety goals, quality standards and client expectations, while identifying opportunities to enhance programs and policies for continuous improvement.

Tim joined the company in 1993. Having worked in multiple regional offices over the years, he possesses a unique perspective of the company’s growth into new markets and expansion into existing markets. Tim earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Minnesota, and is a registered professional engineer.

Curtis Bilow

Executive Vice President

As Executive Vice President, Curtis provides corporate oversight and strategic leadership to deliver business solutions to Ames partners.  His experience and innovative approaches drive business growth across all of Ames markets and geographies.  He directs and supports the Business Development team across all market segments to ensure that the Ames mission, history, reputation, culture and capabilities remain at the forefront of building strong business relationships. 

Curtis joined Ames Construction in 2005 as a project engineer in our Southwest Region, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Ferris State University in Construction Management.  He is a member of a variety of industry organizations, Board and Executive Committee member for the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC), as well as the Chair of the Finance Committee.

Nick Ruba

Executive Vice President, Alternative Delivery

As Ames Alternative Delivery (AD) lead, Nick Ruba is the corporate single point of contact across all of our regions and with all of our clients, vendors and partners. Working together with the regional AD teams, he is tasked with managing and growing the company’s already prominent position in the alternative project delivery marketplace by adapting to meet fluctuating demands in our ever-evolving industry. Nick is a proven leader who is integral in helping Ames secure projects that can be delivered safely with the highest quality on schedule and budget.

Nick joined Ames Construction in 2014. With over 30 years of prior experience in the construction industry, he gained invaluable expertise while working in nearly every region of the U.S., serving in numerous leadership roles and spanning multiple construction disciplines. Nick received his Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Engineering from Iowa State University.

Shawn L. Dahl

Vice President, Real Estate & Aggregates

Shawn Dahl directs the real estate portfolio for Ames Construction, with extensive experience in land reclamation and residential/commercial development and redevelopment. He has expertly applied his proficiency in real estate planning and design, along with possessing a keen knowledge of environmental regulation, to develop multiple master-planned communities throughout the country. In his dual role, Shawn is instrumental in conducting assessments and acquiring permits for aggregate operations needed to support specific projects in our respective markets, and he oversees the company’s holdings in a retail aggregate processing operation that serves as a resource to the construction industry.

Shawn joined the company in 1989. He studied Business Management at the University of Minnesota, and serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Dakota Aggregates.

Bob Bruckner

Information Technology Director

Bob Bruckner leads a team of IT professionals who create, maintain, protect, and repair Ames Construction’s computer, network, data storage, and communication systems. Joining the company in 1997, Bob was tasked with preparing and updating internal systems to handle the anticipated worldwide coding problems associated with Y2K. He remains instrumental in implementing, upgrading, and programming technology to ensure that Ames’ IT strategies and processes support company-wide goals.

Highly analytical, Bob researches ever-changing IT trends and assesses opportunities that help Ames stay competitive. Bob graduated from the University of Minnesota Morris with a double major in computer science and mathematics.

Zach Huhmann

Health and Safety Director

Zach Huhmann administers and communicates the Safety and Health Program at Ames Construction, and leads the effort to keep safety top-of-mind every day on every project and in every office. Zach analyzes collected data to identify potential safety hazards, and works closely with our regional safety teams to develop and implement initiatives to reduce and prevent accidents, occupational illnesses, and exposure to long-term health hazards, while promoting the importance of both physical and mental fitness.

Zach joined Ames Construction in 2008. He earned his degree in Safety from the University of Central Missouri, is a Certified Safety Professional and a member of the American Society of Safety Professionals and the Construction Industry Safety Initiative (CISI) group.

Katie Odegaard

Human Resources Director

As our corporate human resources director, Katie Odegaard remains focused on strengthening the Human Resources team by supporting and implementing various programs and initiatives in the areas of talent management, total rewards, employee engagement, and compliance. Katie joined the company in 2021, bringing with her experience in the construction and manufacturing industries driving human resources processes, practices, and programs that impact business results.

Katie earned her Bachelors of Science in Human Resources Management and her Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse. She holds the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) certifications.

Jon Beckius

Controller

As Ames Construction’s Controller, Jon Beckius manages accounting functions including financial reporting, payroll, accounts payable, and tax compliance. He joined Ames in 2019 after serving three years as controller for another general contractor and nearly seven years in public accounting serving construction clients.

Jon earned a Bachelor of Arts in accounting and a Master of Science in Accountancy from the University of St. Thomas. He is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in Minnesota.

Sue Ritchie

Risk Management Director

Sue Ritchie oversees the organization’s comprehensive insurance and risk management program. She teams with senior executives as well as legal, financial and regional representatives at Ames to identify and assess risks that could impede the reputation, safety, security or financial success of the company. She is tasked with purchasing and managing the insurance portfolio, implementing contractual risk transfer strategies, and providing risk financing, budgeting and allocation of insurance costs direction. Continually assessing the ever-changing landscape of construction risk, Sue pursues new and creative ways to address these challenges.

Sue joined Ames Construction in 2018, with more than 30 years of experience serving the construction industry. She holds the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation and IRMI Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist (CRIS) certification.